Prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases and Number of Comorbidities According to Differences in Household Income Levels in Japan: Analysis from National Health and Nutrition Survey

Abstract

Though it has been reported that in Western developed countries socioeconomic status is associated with non-communicable diseases (NCD), there are sparse evidence from Japan, midst an income gap that has been pointed out in recent years. Therefore, we examined the presence or absence of NCD and the number of comorbidities according to household income in Japanese, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey of 2010. 1287 men and 1659 women aged 20 -79 years from households at 3 income levels (<2, 2 -5.9, ≥6 million yen) were analyzed. Participants completed questionnaires regarding whether they had been diagnosed with NCD, as well as undergoing clinical laboratory tests. Logistic regression analyses were used for statistical analysis with adjustment for age, gender, household size, and population of municipalities. The prevalences of participants with high, medium, and low income were 22.3%, 57.6%, and 20.2%, respectively. Participants with the lowest income had the highest odds of hypertension (OR [95% confidence interval or 3 NCD (hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia) were 15.0% and 33.0% in high and low income levels, respectively. A low income could contribute to a high prevalence of NCD and large number of comorbidities among Japanese. Establishing a health policy in Japan is needed to enable an optimal health condition and lifestyle regardless of socioeconomic disparities.

Household income is associated with food and nutrient intake in Japanese schoolchildren, especially on days without school lunch

“…Similar associations between household income and diet have been observed among Japanese adults. Low-income groups among Japanese adults consume less fish and vegetables and obtain more energy from carbohydrates than higher-income groups ( 26 ) , and have a higher prevalence of obesity and diabetes ( 39 ) . The association between household income and diet might affect not only adult family members, but also the children of families in Japan.…”